1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic vending machine, more particularly to improved arrangements for an automatic vending machine which prevent thieves from illegal accession to the merchandise and coins in the machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
The arrangements of this invention are directed to some arrangements of a conventional automatic vending machine, which are shown in FIG. 1. As illustrated, the automatic vending machine has a housing 1 which includes a vertical support frame 11 disposed at the middle portion of the machine, and a back plate 12 mounted securely on the back portion of the support frame 11. Two L-cross-sectioned side plates 2 are connected pivotally to two opposite sides of the back plate 12 by means of several hinges 1A. Two rib arrangements or peripheral ribs 21A respectively project from the peripheries of the side plates 2. Each of the side plates 2 includes a key driven element 22 mounted rotatably thereon, which has a keyhole 22A. Two latch holes 111 are respectively formed through two side walls of the support frame 11. Two L-shaped latch elements 23 are respectively secured to the key driven elements 22. As best shown in FIG. 3, each of the L-shaped latch elements 23 extends into the corresponding latch hole 111 of the support frame 11 at an end thereof, so as to fasten the corresponding side plate 2 to the support frame 11. The latch holes 111, the key driven elements 22 and the L-shaped latch elements 23 constitute two lock arrangements each of which fastens one of the side plates 2 to the support frame 11. When it is desired to open one of the side plates 2, the corresponding key driven element 22 is rotated about a horizontal axis by actuating a key which is inserted into the keyhole 22A of the key driven element 22, so that the L-shaped latch element 23 can be removed from the corresponding latch hole 111 of the support frame 11. Again referring to FIG. 1, the side plates 2 are opened for clarity. A top plate 13 and a bottom plate 14 are respectively fixed on the top and bottom ends of the support frame 11. When the side plates 2 are fastened to the support frame 11, the horizontal upper end portions of the ribs 21A are positioned just under the top plates 13, while the horizontal lower end portions of the ribs 21A are positioned just over the bottom plates 14. In this situation, the vertical portions of the ribs 21A are parallel and adjacent to the side walls of the support frame 11. The front wall 11A of the support frame 11 has six rectangular upper openings 112 for mounting pushbuttons (not shown) therein, a rectangular intermediate opening 113, and a rectangular lower opening 114 accommodating a merchandise discharge casing (not shown) therein. A coin slot arrangement includes a coin slot member 3 which is screwed into the intermediate opening 113. The machine suffers from the following drawbacks:
(1) Referring to FIG. 2, gaps (A) are formed between the top plate 13 and the horizontal upper end portions of the ribs 21A. Similarly, gaps are formed between the bottom plate 14 and the horizontal lower end portions of the ribs 21A, and between the side walls of the support frame 11 and the vertical portions of the ribs 21A. A thief may insert a lever into one of such gaps in order to pry open the housing 1.
(2) The size of the intermediate opening 113 of the support frame 11 is large enough to permit one hand of a thief to take coins from the interior of the machine therethrough when the coin slot member 3 is removed from the support frame 11 by the thief.
(3) A thief can rotate the key driven elements 23 by means of a set of unlocking tools so as to open the side plates 2 for the purpose of taking merchandise from the interior of the machine.
(4) Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a thief may insert an elongated lever into one of the gaps (B) formed between the hinges 12 and the side plates 2 in order to pry open the housing 1.